Employers
are being warned not to ignore the value of students coming into their business
on work experience.
Over
half a million students will be looking for work experience this summer and Liz
Rhodes, director of the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE), is urging
companies to make the most of a valuable resource.
"Summer
work experience students provide the perfect resource to tackle projects, or
free-up a permanent member of staff to progress them. They also provide access
to university resources and bring knowledge of new technologies that may
otherwise pass a company by," she said.
The
NCWE claims that work experience students can help companies save time and
money and Rhodes suggested that as an outsider they often spot new
opportunities.
"We
have anecdotal evidence of work placement students who have really turned
companies around with their innovative thinking. If employers provide a good
brief and adequate support, they will reap the benefits," she added.
Placements
can be arranged independently or as part of a degree course, such as sandwich
schemes, projects or professional practice and often lead to permanent job
offers.
The
NCWE has issued a set of guidelines to ensure organisations get the most out of
work experience placements:
–
Set objectives at the outset
–
Employers should explore financial support, such as the STEP programme, which
could help with any costs
–
The level of supervision needs to be related to the degree of responsibility given
to the student
–
If paid, students are subject to the same tax and NI regulations as any other
employee
